Bounded by Moonlight
by Waterlilies
Summary: The sounds of children laughing pulled at a wish in her heart. She knew she was forbidden to walk into the sunlight. What will it take for her wish to be granted?
1. Forbidden Kiss

Standard disclaimers apply. I'm just a graduate student trying to spend time away from the books. I just want to wish everyone a Happy New Year! Enjoy!

FORBIDDEN KISS

"I dare you to go up to that house." The leader of the rat pack pointed over to the one that stood off by the cul-de-sac. "I hear they're a group of vampires."

"What? They don't exist." He shook his head in disbelief.

"I've only seen them come out at night. And for one thing, why would their windows be shut so tight?"

The boy looked over the bushes and saw a quiet, white house. "It looks ordinary to me."

"Suit yourself." The boy began to walk away. "If you want to be in this group, you have go up and ring the doorbell. And…you have to stay there over a minute." The leader stressed the last sentence with emphasis.

The violet-eyed child couldn't resist the challenge. He knew he could never run away from one. "Fine then."

"Here's some garlic, you'll need it." The boy tossed him a small bunch, and ran over across the street, away from any neighbors looking at their mischievous antics.

"It's just a load of crap." He smelled the garlic drifting towards his nose. "Ugh." He reached over and pushed the button. Inside, a ring of chimes echoed in the hallway.

The butler held a small chopping knife in his hand and wiped the blade on his crisp apron. "May I help you?"

"Wha-" The old man cowered over him, "Um…" He followed the small blade with his eyes and swallowed hard down his tiny throat.

"Well, what is it?" His face was met with pellets of garlic, and he nearly dropped his knife.

"Aaaaah!" The boy screamed for his life and dashed as fast as he could. He ran and he felt something snag at his foot. "Stupid tree." He pulled at his clumsy foot, and left the sneaker still hooked on the heavy root.

"That was strange indeed." He shut the door behind him and walked back through the dimly lighted halls to the kitchen. At the counter, a pile of thin strips of carrots and celery still needed to be finely chopped. He dropped the tainted knife in the sink and grabbed another small knife from the drawer from where he stood.

Solo looked at his newfound friend, "I didn't think you would last that long."

"Did he cut my braid off?" He fingered for the shoulder-length braid until his small hands found it. "Phew, I thought he was going to cut it."

"You have guts." He patted the boy on his shoulders.

"Next time, send someone else." Violet eyes stared back with intensity for the near fatal brush with a knife.

"Of course, only those that wants to be members."

"Who was that at the door?"

"Someone pulling off a prank, I suppose." A stream of orange ran off from his fingers after chopping the carrots.

"Oh, I see." She looked at the clock, "Can I go out and play?"

"It's not time yet." The old man continued on with his work. "You know you can't go out right now, it's too dangerous. Besides, what will your parents think?"

"Alright." The hopes of heading out were dashed in a second.

The butler noticed her disappointment and offered her a treat, "You can have a cookie, they're nice and hot." The little girl grabbed one and ate it without another word.

"I'll be heading back to my room." Slowly, she made her way back up the winding stairs. She hated this prison of hers as she always thought of it. Back in her room, blue eyes stared at the mural of a garden. The sun was vibrant. She longed to taste the sunlight on her own skin. But at an early age, she learned that the sun was her enemy. "Why me?" Petite fingers reached out to the wall, tracing the flowers and hoping to imagine what it felt. Her fingertips were met with coldness and despair. "Another day of this…"

All this time, her life was wrapped in protective cocoon. The only times she were ever allowed out in broad daylight was to head to the hospital. Even in those acts, they could be deadly for her if something went awry. The protective, white suit was her only defense to block out the sun from killing her, and at the hospital, she remembered dim lights around her all the time.

She flipped on the television, but made sure to stay back to keep from being exposed to more radiation. Several cartoons caught her attention, but she quickly got bored. Outside, she heard kids her age laugh as they played a game. What game? She couldn't tell. Her window was blocked out to keep the sunlight from penetrating into the house. After an hour, she closed the television and read a small book hoping to pass the time. This was her routine for the time being until it was safe to venture out.

"Knock knock. I figure you might want some company now." Her butler brought in a stack of cards. "How about we go another round of war? I want a rematch you know."

The girl smiled slightly, "I thought you still have work to do."

"No no, I'm quite free actually. So how about it?"

"Okay, if you say so." Her voice picked up pitch and she watched her friend deal out the cards. Even with the incandescent lighting, she still managed to out smart him.

"I believe the score is now 10-0 for this week." His deep accent resonated in the room.

"Yep." She started to clean up their game of war and rearranged them accordingly to their groups.

"Well I think it's time for this old fellow to check on our dinner, we don't want burnt carrots and peas now do we?" The girl shook her head from side and side in response. "After dinner, you can go out to play." The old man watched her face light up. "I do say there are many fireflies recently."

Another two hours passed, and the sun was tucked beneath the horizon. The moon slowly rose and a circle of white was full. Glimpses of honey strands caught the moonlight as she darted back and forth across the knee-high grass, catching the elusive neon lights. It was her time, and she treasured it most as she could. It was another perfect night.

She looked towards the house and caught a familiar beam snaking its way on the driveway. "They're home!" She sprinted in earnest, as she saw her parents emerge from the car. "Daddy, Mommy!"

"How's my princess doing?" Her father scooped her up in his arms.

"I miss you." She gave a peck on his cheek.

"What do you have here?" He picked up a globe that hung from her wrist.

"Pegan and I were catching them." She smiled back at him, forgetting that she actually had her small friends around her hands all this time.

"Well let's collect a few more then," her mom poked into the conversation. The little family headed back into the fields to collect more of the green darts. Their collection grew and the clear globe that she carried pulsated in waves of green.

"How about we let them go now?" Her mother kneeled down beside her, seeing that it was getting late. She helped her hold the globe in place, while she watched her daughter's tiny hands move towards the hatch. "Make a wish now, Relena."

Dozens of fireflies escaped from the small hole into the restless night and flew around her. She closed her eyes and silently repeated her wish to herself, hoping that one day it would come true.

---

Katrina peered out through the window, wondering if the time was right. She pulled the curtains aside and looked at the neighborhood, "I don't know if we should let her out, dear. What happens if one of those bullies pull on her suit?"

"We can't keep her under lock and key for the whole day. The child needs fresh air."

"I'm just afraid of the consequences that's all. When we brought her home from the hospital, I was worried from that moment on."

"I know Katrina, but we need to let her grow." He picked up the white suit from the box. The synthetic fibers gleamed in the dim light of their own room. "Relena dear, we have something for you."

The little girl bounded into the room. "What is that?"

"This will help go outside for short amount of time." Her father helped her into it. "Did you put on your sunscreen?"

"Yes I did as always." She looked at the long sleeves, "I look like a ghost."

"No you're not, you look like a swan. The most beautiful swan." Her mother chimed in, trying to bring some confidence back into her daughter. Relena scrunched her eyebrows in disbelief before her father placed the rest of her protective coat over her head.

"Now don't over do it," her father guided her to the front yard, where some children were already playing.

"I won't." For the first time, her parents let her out to roam in their vast front yard. The sunlight warmed her tiny frame, but she felt like she was normal almost, until a couple pairs of eyes were glaring at her with quizzical looks.

"Why do you have that on? It's summer…aren't you hot wearing that?" One of the kids directly asked her.

"Not really." She shrugged to the best of her abilities.

"All the kids around here think you're a family of vampires." She let out a soft giggle, "But, we're wrong." She looked towards the girl's house and saw her parents standing there.

Her cornflower eyes looked in amazement, "It looks cool actually."

"Thanks, I suppose." She twisted her fingers that were constricted in her gloves.

"My name is Hilde. What's yours?"

"Relena." The child called out from her barrier.

"Nice to meet you." She motioned for her other playmates to come, but they stood off a few feet away from them. "Wanna play tag?"

"Sure," she nodded her head up and down.

"What do you think she's trying to do?" Duo asked Solo to see if he had any clues.

"I think she's inviting her to play." He scratched his forehead, "I can't read lips you know."

"And what do you think, Heero?" The braided brat asked the newest member of their group.

"Hn."

"Don't you have other words to say?"

"No." His voice still remained the same tone as before.

"Well there's something new."

"Hn."

"Here we go again." Duo gave up on him and the trio looked on as Hilde continued with her small conversation. "Do girl have to talk this long?" At that moment, he just wanted to start running around from the boredom of waiting. "Come on!"

"Be quiet Maxwell!" Hilde shouted from where she stood, "It's not polite to rush ladies."

"You're no lady," he stuck out his tongue and he watched her return the favor.

"He won't bite," she tugged at the other girl's arms and began to tell her the names of her friends. "The one that looks scrawny and rude, well that's Duo. The one standing next to him is Solo. The one who looks quiet and says nothing but 'hn' is Heero." The pair continued to walk up to the trio, "Well everyone, this is Relena, the so-called vampire."

"Hello, everyone." The boys nodded, even though they were slightly agitated for Hilde's slow return to them.

"Are you finally ready," Duo dug his heel into the clumpy ground.

"Yes, we are." Hilde stood off to the side with Relena near her.

"Since you're late, you're it."

"Fine with me, Maxwell."

Her tone sent shivers up and down his spine. Whenever she was made at him for something, she called him by his last name. _This can't be good._

"On my count, one…two…three." The high-spirited, short-haired girl sprang into action and charged to her only target.

"This is going to be a biased game for a while," Solo struck up a conversation with Relena.

"Why is that so?"

"Well…you see whenever Duo makes Hilde mad…this is one of those times until he surrenders." He sidestepped to his right, as the raging pair came towards his direction. "You don't need to run at all in this round."

The pair heard a scream from a hill, and Duo took up his hands in surrendering. "Tag! You're it."

Hilde made a dash downhill as Duo was getting ready to pick his victim. "Well he seems to be the party pooper today."

Heero glared at the boy who tore down the grassy hill. "Hn."

"One day, Heero you're going to say more words than that." Duo let out a war cry, as the others made a mad dash to get out of his way.

"Look at that, she's playing with the other kids from the neighborhood." Mr. Peacecraft smiled and watched his only little girl have fun.

"I don't think this is still a good idea."

"She's having fun, Katrina."

"I think this is totally bad idea," Millardo took a seat at the table, while loosening his tie.

Duo popped a couple of candies in his mouth, and the extra boost was what he needed. The speedy seven-year-old rounded around corners to catch his target. "Alright, this time I'm going to get you for sure." His tiny chubby hands grabbed the black fabric of Heero's T-shirt. "Gotcha." He started doing a little victory dance around the yard. "Finally."

The stoic child now looked at the rest of the group. How did he ever meet Duo was something he couldn't remember. All he remembered was being paired up with this happy go lucky kid in a classroom activity. He eyed the remaining group members. Why is that girl wearing that suit? His face remained blank as the question worked in his mind. Whatever the reason was, he didn't care. Right now, she was his target.

"Uh oh," Relena saw the kid running in her direction. "Great, not a perfect time to be caught in this suit." She was thinking the one thing that he shouldn't be doing. The sun was out in full force, and now it wasn't the perfect time. She gave out a shriek as the kid tormented her. "Um…Heero…don't take off my mask." She shouted across the protective barrier. "Eeeeeeek!"

Heero locked his Prussian eyes on her, and followed her every move like a cat taunting its prey. He nearly caught her, as she rounded around a small bush. Seeing that they were literally going in circles, he stopped and she ran right into him as rounded the bush another time. At that moment, he pulled on her mask and it was enough to loosen her protective mask. She felt it slip from her head. The sun's ray hit her pale skin, and immediately, she was awed at the feeling.

The Peacecrafts retired to their small table on their front porch. Katrina was sipping on a glass of lemonade. Her worse fear was realized. The glass slipped onto the concrete steps, sending shards in all directions. "Relena!!!" She ran off the steps and towards her daughter. Her motherly instinct took full action and scooped up the tiny girl in her arms to the best of her abilities. The sun showed no mercy, and she watched the child's face flush to a cherry hue.

Millardo dashed off the steps and grabbed Heero by the collar. "What do you think you were doing? She told you not to take off that mask!" He shook him violently, until his father pried him away from the child.

"Not now, Millardo. He's just a kid. Go back and call the doctors if your mother hasn't done so already."

"Whatever…that kid has no feelings whatsoever." The teenager stormed back to the house.

"Will she be alright, sir?" Hilde looked horrified to what happened.

"I hope so," a small smile reassured the children. "You kids go continue your game now." Mr. Peacecraft walked away from the quartet and returned home.

"Way to go Heero," Duo was rubbing it in how he ruined their game.

"Duo, stop it!" Hilde slammed her foot on his to keep him quiet.

"I just hope she's okay," Solo looked worried, as he remembered Relena's reaction to the sun. "There's something wrong with her."

Heero remained quiet, he didn't mean to. It was all for fun, and it was a honest mistake. When he pulled off her mask, he watched as the cocoon unraveled, revealing a whole new person from the inside. Honey strands caught the glimpse of the sun, and her cerulean eyes locked in on his deep violet eyes.

They stood there for awhile, as they watched the Peacecraft home come to life in a flurry of urgency. The family car with its blackened windows came roaring out of the garage. Somewhere in there, a precious life hanged in the balance. Heero felt a pair of eyes focus on him, as the car drove pass them. He knew whom they belonged to. Today, he had made himself an enemy to Relena's older brother.

"It's alright, Relena, we're going to see the doctor now. Everything will be fine." She squeezed her quiet daughter.

"You're squishing me, Mommy." Her voice was muffled against her suit and her own mother's cotton blouse.

"I'm sorry. Oh God, please not now." She rocked her baby back and forth. "Can we go any faster?"

"I'm trying to." Her husband shouted from the driver's seat.

The emergency room came into view, and their carefully orchestrated plan was put into action. The nurses and her doctor were waiting. All around her, the darkened halls consumed her environment. She felt the panic in everyone, and soon she closed her eyes trying to forget that this ever happened. Her forehead was searing in pain, despite the sunscreen she had rubbed on earlier.

Voices drifted about her, as her doctor looked at the newly reddened skin. She knew she had sunburn. This wasn't her first time, but the pain wouldn't let up at all. She heard her parents' voices to. Grownups. Why did they say things in ways where they covered up the truth? "Am I going to be okay?" She decided to see what they were talking about.

"Why yes, sweetie. You've been great." Her doctor looked at her face one more time. "This will go away in a few more weeks. In the meantime, I want you to stay out of the sun. You got that?" The blond child nodded in response. "Okay, pick out a sticker and a lollipop from the jar."

"Are you sure she will be fine?" Mrs. Peacecraft looked worriedly at her daughter.

"Of course, she will be fine. There are just a few blisters. Just keep them out in the open air, and they'll go down in time. You did the right thing in bringing her here today." The doctor reassured them both.

"Well Princess, I don't think your mother is going to let you out of the house again." Her father patted her on top of her head. "Okay, time to go now. Did you pick out the sticker and the lollipop?"

"Yep." She lifted her light arms and she felt her father lift her off from the table. "Home now?" Her hands still clutch the lime candy and a sticker of Hello Kitty.

"Yes, we're going home now."

Hours after her daughter's scare, Katrina placed herself on lockdown mode. She double checked with everything was to her standards, starting with the light bulbs and television sets. She was going to take every precaution out there. She didn't want to run the risk of endangering Relena's health any further. "I knew it was a bad mistake for her to be out there." She paced in the kitchen with a detector in her hands.

"Calm down, you don't want to scare her into being afraid of everything. The sunburn will go down." Her husband tried to make amends for his decision to let their daughter roam out in the afternoon. "I thought she was ready honestly."

"Every ounce of UV radiation she gets, the further her chances of getting cancer." She pointed her finger angrily at him.

"I know, but this was just a single incident." He tried reasoning with her some more. "We built this house especially of her in mind. We've been careful."

"Who knew we would be carriers to this to begin with?" She placed the detector down, aware she was on the verge of a breakdown. "I didn't want it to happen to her or to anyone else."

Pegan walked in on their conversation, "Pardon my intrusion, there is someone at the door asking about Relena."

"We'll be right there." Mr. Peacecraft guided his wife down the long hallway and to their front door.

"Hello there, Mr. and Mrs. Peacecraft, my name is Odin Lowry, Heero's father." The man stood out with his right hand, waiting for them to take it. "My son told me about what happen, and I'm so sorry."

"There's no need to worry, Mr. Lowry." Katrina spoke up, "The doctor said it was just a sunburn. It should clear up in a few weeks."

"I'm glad to hear she's alright." The parents looked at one another of what to do next until Odin remembered. "Heero is actually outside and he has something for Relena."

"Well bring the boy in, we have some milk and cookies if he wants to have some." Mr. Peacecraft was anxious to meet the little child. "He's always welcomed here." By that statement, he looked over towards his wife, where her face showed a pale complexion by the mere mention of the boy who nearly killed their child.

"Come on Heero, it's alright." Odin stepped out and waved at his adopted son to come over. At the mouth of the door, Heero held a small pink bag in his hands.

"Here's a gift for Relena." He held out the bag to her father, as he generously took it.

"I'm sure she'll like it. Thank you. Would you like a small snack?"

"No…no thank you." Heero retreated out the door, as he let the grownups finish their conversation.

"He's very sweet actually." Odin tried to say a few kind words on Heero's behalf.

"I'm sure," Katrina let out a fake smile and wished that the man would leave. "Well if you need help in babysitting him at any time, we'll be happy to have him over."

"That sounds great, I might have to take up on your offer, since I travel a lot on business trips. Good evening then." The Peacecrafts watched the man leave their house and headed back to his home with Heero.

"Millardo, can you come over here please?" Mr. Peacecraft ordered his son down from his room. "Can you please give this to your sister?" He held the bag in front of him.

"Don't tell me it's from Heero?"

"Why yes it is. I think it's sweet of him to do this."

Millardo grudgingly took the package. He was still filled with pent-up anger from the afternoon's events. Slowly, he trudged up the steps being mindful of someone that was sleeping. While upstairs, he peeked into the bag. "Figures," he mumbled. He was at the foot of Relena's bedroom door and wondered if he should just hang the bag on the door handle. The door itself was slightly jarred open, and he watched his sister sleep soundly. On the ceiling, an image of a crescent moon clung to a cloud. Being carefully, he slipped in and left the bag where she would see it. As he stepped out, a floorboard creaked underneath his weight and the sound awoke her.

"Is that you, brother?" Her sweet voice drifted to his ears.

"Yeah, it's me."

"Can I ask you something?"

"Shoot."

"Do you hate Heero?" Her gentle voice lingered in the room.

It was an innocent question, but it was question that made him think hard on the answer. Yes, he put his sister's life in jeopardy, but he couldn't truly hate a person forever unless…he threw that thought of out his mind. "Go to sleep now. That's for another day."

"I can't sleep now," she rubbed her eyes. "What is it like to stand in the sun, and not be afraid it?"

"Well that's a good question." He bent down and picked up the bag that Heero dropped off earlier. "Before I tell you the answer, here's a gift from you know who."

She moved the fragile tissue paper from the top and pulled out a small teddy bear from the pink bag. "It's cute."

"I've seen better." He felt a playful jab coming from his sister. She placed the teddy bear on her nightstand, underneath a small lamp. The soft light revealed the light chocolate fur.

"Well now, where were we?" And with that, their conversation started up again into the early night.

---

"Where did that bag of marshmallows go?" Millardo searched around the campsite. "You didn't hide them from me did you?"

Relena chewed on her smore as much as possible. The gooey delicacy was still warm in her mouth. "No," she mumbled outward. The blisters on her forehead were finally going down, but the skin still had a tinge of blush on the surface. She watched her big brother mull over his words of trying to find the fluffy sweets in the dark. "Did you check over there?"

He looked up towards the direction of a pile of logs she pointed at. "You better not be playing games with me."

"Why would I be?" She gave an innocent look, while Millardo sauntered off. When he wasn't looking, she swiped the contraband underneath her jacket and placed them on his seat.

A small voice crept over her shoulder, "I saw that."

"Who's there?" She swallowed the last bit of her s'more. Her eyes scanned the dark foliage. A tiny figure emerged, "Heero?" He stood in his spot, not wanting to come any closer. He already caused enough damage. "Why don't you come and sit here?"

"Now I see the marshmallows have app-" Millardo looked over to where Relena was staring at. He could feel every inch of his muscles tightening inside his body, but he made a promise to his sister to be at least civil to the boy. "Do you want a s'more?" His voice hinted at agitation.

Heero nodded a no in response and he continued to stand in the shadows. Before long, he felt a tug coming from his side and he realized that she was pulling him towards the makeshift campsite. "It will be fun. Come on!" The sweetness in her voice made him feel welcomed, but he could feel the cold eyes on his back. "Thank you for the teddy bear."

He could already hear his father's lecture on manners running through his head, "Um…you're welcome." By the time he finished saying that simple sentence, he felt a round object in his hands and realized what Relena had already done.


	2. Falling Stars

A/N: Standard disclaimers apply.

I decided to rewrite the story due to time constraints, and I think it is unfair to leave all of you waiting in the dark for so long. Thank you for your patience. Please ignore the prior chapters two through four, if you read them already. Enjoy!

---

**FALLING STARS**

---

The storm raged on for three days now. She swore she could hear the tiny ice crystals tap against the window pane, as the winds circled about. On her table, she saw her calendar and specific date circled in red. It was today, December 12th. She hoped this storm would move away entirely and wreak havoc somewhere else. This was an unexpected early Christmas present.

She continued to watch the white fall from the heavens. There was something about the snowfall that lured her into the season. Perhaps it was the season to allow her imagination to run wild. Ever since she was little, she made snow angels and built fortresses of snow with help from Millardo. She also remembered the family gatherings around the campfire especially when pine cones were thrown into the amber flames. They glowed, adding an extra wintery feeling to the merriment.

The crackling from the fireplace brought her back to the current situation. The house was quiet for this December day minus Pegan's shuffling in the lower floors. She continued to watch the snowfall and hoped that it would cease soon enough. She couldn't let one storm dampen her plans for tonight.

Six hours and twenty minutes later, she got the break she was looking for.

The chilly air was heavy with the first sign of winter already tinged with it. The clouds thankfully dispersed in time, as she drudged through the fresh layer. Armed with a steel canister of hot chocolate she wasn't letting any other storm stop her… come hell or high water she was determined to see the show tonight. They were predicting a better outcome than in previous years.

She followed up the narrow footpath, hearing crunching sounds underneath her boots. Soon another set of tracks became visible to her eyes. The deep footprints marred the pristine surface, and there was only one other person that knew.

_He did find it after all_.

She trudged up the hill and out of the blue, several doe ran out from the clusters of pine trees. The startled group darted to the other side of the forest, and disappeared in the naked branches. Not once did they turn their petite, brown heads to the new stranger that stumbled upon them in the first place, disturbing their quiet sanctuary.

The blond continued to walk up the footpath, using the set of tracks that were already laid before her. She had heard whispers that he had returned, but she didn't dare to come running to greet him. He would come on his own time that was how she remembered him from her past.

"You're late." A familiar voice resonated in crisp, night air.

Before responding, she plopped herself down next to him, "I think you're early."

"Hn." He continued to stare up in the vast expanse, searching for a needle in the haystack.

"Did you bring the marshmallows?" A bag of the white fluff was thrown at her. Relena poured the sweet liquid from its sealed container into one of the mugs she carried along with her. "Did you see any yet?"

"No."

"That's why I said you came too early." She sipped from her own cup, allowing its warm content to flow through her. "They say it will be a good show tonight."

"You sure?" he turned towards her and saw her looking up at the night sky already.

For the next few minutes, the pair watched the heavens above hoping to catch a meteor or two. "They say we should be able to see them in the eastern horizon."

"Hn," he adjusted his jacket. "You keep telling yourself that."

By this time, they both scooted together, each viewing their section of designated sky. "You better not be sleeping on my watch, Mr. Yuy." It was just like old times, she thought, but she tried to hide those feelings from resurfacing. If it wasn't so dark, Heero might be able see the frustration on her face.

"The same to you."

Both of their eyes adjusted to the increasing darkness, and Gemini soon rose above the horizon. Two hours lapsed and they remained quiet, just staring in the open night. Taking in each other's company with no questions asked. It felt like old times all over again.

Relena stole a quick glance to her former astronomy buddy. She could never peg him into a category. He was complicated period. A boy with limited amount of words, but she found herself a challenge. She remembered the second time Heero Yuy captured her attention. It was at this very spot they were at tonight. She told no one, not even her own brother. It was her secret escape from the world, and it was in her own element, the night.

It was a summer's night, and the fireflies were out in full force in the heavy laden fields of wild violets and foxtails. She was stargazing, and getting lost in her own dreamland. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw someone walking up the hill. At first it was his unruly hair that gave him away, and she froze.

No one was supposed to know about this.

Panic first set in, and she was about to bolt until he was face to face with her. The next thing was perplexing to her, and she saw Heero lying down next to her, and stared up at the same black canvas. No words were exchanged, but he remained with her.

It was only a month from the fateful meeting when she was first kissed by the sun. A wish she still could be granted again, but she knew it was dangerous, and that it could kill her one day if she continued to toy with it.

Her voice broke the ice between them, "You know my brother is going to kill you one of these days."

"Whatever." He shrugged his shoulders with no care to her statement. "So why can't you go outside like normal kids?"

"Mommy and daddy say I have something that makes me sick when I go outside in the daytime." Her eyes honed in on Pegasus. "You know that square up there is Pegasus."

He looked at her skeptically, "How can that be Pegasus?"

"You need some imagination."

Seeing that his stargazing skills were lacking, he decided to switch topics, "So you have to be a vampire then?"

She was surprised by that question. _Heero has at least one funny bone._ A smile traced on her small face, "No, I can come out when the sun is goes down." She stuck a tongue out at him. "Nighttime is the safest for me."

"I can see that," he said in his monotone voice.

"I heard my mommy say that I'm one of the children of the moon… or something like that." Her eyes darted off to find any planets that the night revealed.

"Interesting." His eyes continued to roam, the non-sense pattern of stars. "This is so boring."

Relena stifled a laugh, "You need patience," and looked at him, and caught him rolling his eyes.

"Hn."

"I'll teach you," and she poked him in his right shoulder. And so it began. Her tiny fingers traced the invisible patterns before his eyes. "I think you might like this."

"Whatever." He continued to amuse her by following her small fingers.

---

Then there was a third time Heero stood out in her memory. Her parents hosted a Fourth of July party mixed with relatives and some of her closest friends. Tensions still ran high when he showed up, even though it had been seven years ago. It was something that the majority of the Peacecraft household held.

The quiet teen meandered to the backyard where everyone else was. He found her sitting in a swing set.

"Hey stranger, I'm glad you could make it," her voice chirped.

Heero could feel pairs of eyes staring on him. "They're doing it again."

"Yeah," she leaned into her seat, "They'll warm up _eventually_."

"The key word is eventually." He leaned against the pole, trying to find other ways to further their conversation. Everything he did was being watched. He felt like he was walking in a ticking mine field.

"I bet you're starving." She got up from her seat. "Let's go, there should still be some food left."

"I ate earlier."

"Oh," she stopped in her tracks, "if you get hungry, there should be some leftovers."

In the distance, Duo and Hilde spotted the pair, and they waved to them. The two were amused by the show that Solo was putting on with his electric guitar.

The blond took her seat back on the swing set. "He sure can play. Those rifts are amazing."

"Yeah," Heero took the one right beside her.

Their conversation came to a halt. It was that familiar gap of silence. Relena was about to say something, but the skies exploded with the annual fireworks show that came from a nearby town. The two sat in silence watching the multitude of colors being splayed across the clear summer's night.

Her voice raised in a higher tone, trying to fight off the louder booms, "You know, those remind me of a meteor shower." She pointed to the golden shower of sparks that rained in front of them.

"I guess they do."

The two continued to watch the show, as a couple of more rockets were launched.

"So there you two love birds are." Duo meandered his way through the small crowd. Hilde and Solo trailed behind him. "Didn't want to come to the stage eh?"

Heero gripped the chains of his swing a little tighter, "Stop it Maxwell. It's not like that."

"Well, it's not what others think. I overheard several people whispering how you two make a cute couple," he sipped on his lemonade. "Am I right Hilde?"

"That's right," she quipped back with some enthusiasm.

"Well you got it all wrong, and so do they," Heero maintained his ground.

Solo rested on the metal pole, "You're in denial, Yuy."

"Hn."

She sat quietly, just being amused at the gossip being generated at her family's party. Maybe it was a time for change.

---

She moved passed her reminiscing, and re-focused on the task at hand. She wondered why he decided to reappear. Years of silence fell between them. Her life was heading somewhere, and now here came the unexpected bend in the road she thought she left behind in her childhood. "You left without saying goodbye." She felt him tense at the line.

"It was easier that way." He didn't turn to look at her. "No strings."

"Figures you would say that." She crossed her arms. A meteor shot through her field of view. A faint flicker quickly evaporated in the obsidian skies. "Duo had a Freudian slip one day and mentioned about you."

"He did?" He played with a handful of snow, contemplating what to say next, wondering if his secret was out.

"Yeah, he did." Her gaze wandered over to him, "he quickly changed the subject though, but I'm not stupid. He was hiding something."

He remembered the day his house was filled with moving boxes. There was no warning, just a sudden upheaval of his life. His father was called for a consulting job overseas and if he was able to move quickly, there would be a hefty signing bonus. That was that. No one saw it coming, not even the rat pack, and not even himself.

It was his clean break he was looking for. Early on his life, he learned not to get too close. Nothing would last…things would come and go. It was probably because how his father moved the family from one location to another with his consulting jobs. The friends he made didn't matter.

There was never enough time.

Then there was the incident with Relena. How was he supposed to know that the suit was her lifeline to protect her from the outside world? He never told anyone about the nightmares that plagued his tiny mind for weeks, just hearing her scream from being burnt by the sun's rays. How her scarred arms would reach out for him to make the pain stop.

Ultimately, he blamed himself for hurting her still.

And he thought, by leaving, it would be easier on her. He would never have to hurt her. He never calculated the feeling that she was having now. All the equations that he calculated in theory were right, but somehow he left one rogue variable out. Love.

Then there was one outlier that came into being, Duo. He managed to somehow find Heero via the Internet, and they maintained some email exchanges infrequently. And as if by fate, his friend across the sea managed to set a trap for him to return home. A home that he thought he had abandoned for three years.

Heero remembered the night clearly. It was Relena's 16th birthday. "You set me up, Maxwell." The sentence was forced through his gritted teeth.

"Hush," he stood outside the dressing room. "I can't believe you forgot about the significance of today's date."

"You just told me we were going to…never mind. After tonight, I'm going to kill you." He looked at himself dressed in a penguin suit. He never did like the black and white tie ensemble.

"Been there before," he called from the other side of the door. "Time is being wasted; we're going to be late."

His monotone voice called out, "Fine by me."

Duo crossed his arms in frustration. If there was one trait he hated about Heero, it was his stubbornness.

"Not out yet?" Hilde swung by the department store and finished the last of her errands before she returned home to change. "At least, you were smart enough to drag him out to the mall early."

"Yeah." He banged on the door to speed up the process. "Come on." He turned back to Hilde, "Did you get it?"

"Yeah, but it was hard. She kept pacing back and forth in her room. Luckily, she told me where told the stash was a couple of days ago."

Heero continued to ignore the two outside. He adjusted the tie around his neck just to kill some time. The door shook again, and it was his warning to finish things up. "All right, I'm coming out."

"Don't you look dashing." Hilde was glad to see him here. "You have no idea how much she misses you."

"He could be the next 007," Duo snorted, and received a glare from his friend.

"You just keep pushing it, and the next thing will be a shiner in the morning."

"You two behave yourself," Hilde quipped. She pulled out something from her purse, "Here you'll need this to get in." Then she pulled out the black mask, "and this too. It's a masquerade ball."

"Terrific."

"Good luck, buddy," he winked. "We'll see you there."

An hour later, he stood in front of the building with white columns highlighted in lights. "Invitation please," the doorman held out his gloved hand. Heero gladly obliged by placing the star shaped token in the man's gloved palm. "Very well," the doorman gave the one inch token back to him.

The banquet hall was adorned with snowflake crystal chandeliers and bouquets of white lilies. Over in one part of the hall, small tables were scattered about with floating candles in clear bowls, adorning the tabletops. Laughter emanated from the main room where pairs dressed in 1700 fashions danced. Everyone wore a mask, and he was thankful Hilde found him one. It was the perfect disguise to hide him from everyone's prying eyes. No one guessed that it was him.

The lady of the hour he spotted after hearing her voice drift towards him. The sight he saw took his breath away momentarily. Her golden tresses were curled, and she stood in a corner welcoming the well wishes from her guests. She stood in a gold shoulder length gown adorned in a repeating flower pattern. Her face carried an air of sadness and disappointment, but it was masked with her smile. No one really knew she was hurting. She didn't fool him.

"May I have this dance?" He bowed with his right arm bent in front of his waist.

Before long, the two wove their way to the dance floor, gliding between couples to a familiar piano melody from Finding Neverland. The deep notes resonated within the hallow dance hall. He remembered the song after coming across Relena's iPod that she had left at one of Duo's movie nights.

No words were exchanged as she looked into the stranger's eyes. A hue she had seen before, but where? He looked back at her, as he continued to follow the music. "Have I seen you before?" She tilted her head…a feeling of déjà-vu washed over her for a brief second.

Heads turned as they saw the birthday girl dance with her prince charming. The stranger had captivated their attention as no one knew the identity of this mystery man. The song continued to play, and with the last few piano notes dying down, he whispered in her ear, "Happy Birthday."

He released her hand from his, and took away his other from her waist. Before she had a chance to come back to earth, she was swept into another dance with another male. Heero disappeared into the crowds and returned back to his life. And never once did he look back.

This was the one secret that Duo managed to keep from Relena for the past five years, and Heero thanked him for it. But no matter who he dated, somehow his thoughts came back to her. Once again that long forgotten variable called love was making its way to the surface. His defenses were failing, and slowly the wall he built around himself was crumbling. He knew he couldn't keep this up.

And now they were back to square one.

Maybe he had a purpose. Maybe it was fate that pulled him to her direction again and again…a north star for him to come back to. He looked up to the night sky and before him, meteors blazed across the black sea with their tails disappearing in seconds. They were bold enough to crash through the atmosphere just to be seen and soon forgotten. It was now or never, he had to try.

"I never told you this, but," his gloved hand dove into his right coat pocket, and concealed something in his palm. His hand reached out to hers and he placed the silver token into her gloved hand.

Her eyes focused in on the silver object and realized it immediately, "How?"

"You can thank Duo. He managed to set the whole thing up." He looked at her, "he even had Hilde on the scheme to get one star from you."

She looked back to the heavens to see several more streaks, "So they were all in on it."

"In truth, I had to make sure you were all right."

"So that's your secret," she laughed. "You came back after all."

A veil of silence fell between the pair. The new revelation came as a shock to her system. She could feel her heart come alive again from the infinite cold. If it weren't for so many layers, she could feel her heart jump right out of her chest. She was feeling like a teenager all over again, just like at the Fourth of July party. She thought she had lost her chance.

The ball was back in her court, and now what? She would have never guessed in her wild dreams it would turn out this way. Her eyes scanned the skies, and she watched the show in silence. She let out a sigh, and watched the heated mist crystallize against her frozen cheeks.

"Thank you for telling me, Heero." She smiled at him, and looked back up. Soon enough, she felt his right hand intertwine with her left, and she gave one soft squeeze in response. "I think the show is starting up."

"Hn."

In the distance, a clock tower clanged in another hour. Its metal bars reflected the eerie glow of green and blue from lights mounted at the base. The abstract tower could be seen from where they sat in the forest. With all the time wasted between them, time was finally on their side for this night.

And soon enough, he made his move. He caught her off her guard. The kiss was slow yet gentle. She dropped the star into the snow, and ran her gloved hands along the sides of his face. She smiled secretly as her wish came true, and looked into his Prussian eyes. Above them, the heaven's rained with stardust and the possibilities yet to come.

The End


End file.
